Text of MA H 534 (2023)

1 of 2 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1783 FILED ON: 1/18/2023 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 534 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _________________ PRESENTED BY: Jay D. Livingstone and Christine P. Barber _________________ To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled: The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products. _______________ PETITION OF: NAME: DISTRICT/ADDRESS: DATE ADDED: Jay D. Livingstone 8th Suffolk 1/18/2023 Christine P. Barber 34th Middlesex 1/18/2023 Mindy Domb 3rd Hampshire 1/18/2023 Lindsay N. Sabadosa 1st Hampshire 1/19/2023 Patricia D. Jehlen Second Middlesex 1/20/2023 Jack Patrick Lewis 7th Middlesex 1/23/2023 Danielle W. Gregoire 4th Middlesex 1/24/2023 Tram T. Nguyen 18th Essex 1/24/2023 Natalie M. Higgins 4th Worcester 1/25/2023 Steven Ultrino 33rd Middlesex 1/25/2023 Steven Owens 29th Middlesex 1/25/2023 Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr. 12th Hampden 1/26/2023 Jeffrey N. Roy 10th Norfolk 1/26/2023 Thomas M. Stanley 9th Middlesex 1/26/2023 Joanne M. Comerford Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester 1/27/2023 Jessica Ann Giannino 16th Suffolk 1/27/2023 James K. Hawkins 2nd Bristol 1/27/2023 Carmine Lawrence Gentile 13th Middlesex 1/28/2023 2 of 2 Brian W. Murray 10th Worcester 1/29/2023 David Henry Argosky LeBoeuf 17th Worcester 1/30/2023 Patrick M. O'Connor First Plymouth and Norfolk 1/31/2023 Vanna Howard 17th Middlesex 2/1/2023 Jennifer Balinsky Armini 8th Essex 2/5/2023 Michelle M. DuBois 10th Plymouth 2/7/2023 Andres X. Vargas 3rd Essex 2/8/2023 Samantha Montaño 15th Suffolk 2/8/2023 Josh S. Cutler 6th Plymouth 2/8/2023 Tricia Farley-Bouvier 2nd Berkshire 2/8/2023 Adrian C. Madaro 1st Suffolk 2/13/2023 Erika Uyterhoeven 27th Middlesex 2/22/2023 Kate Lipper-Garabedian 32nd Middlesex 2/22/2023 Manny Cruz 7th Essex 2/23/2023 Rebecca L. Rausch Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex 3/7/2023 1 of 3 HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1783 FILED ON: 1/18/2023 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 534 By Representatives Livingstone of Boston and Barber of Somerville, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 534) of Jay D. Livingstone, Christine P. Barber and others for legislation to increase access to disposable menstrual products. Education. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts _______________ In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court (2023-2024) _______________ An Act to increase access to disposable menstrual products. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: 1 SECTION 1. Chapter 23B of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 2 following section:- 3 Section 31. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following 4 meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: 5 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including, 6 but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners. 7 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates. 8 (b) Any provider of temporary housing assistance, including, but not be limited to, a 9 family shelter, a shelter for adults, a hotel used for emergency shelter, an emergency apartment, a 10 domestic violence shelter, a runaway and homeless youth shelter or a safe house for refugees, 11 shall provide disposable menstrual products at no cost to a menstruating individual. The 2 of 3 12 disposable menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize 13 the individual seeking such products. 14 SECTION 2. Chapter 71 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after 15 section 3 the following section:- 16 Section 3A. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following 17 meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:- 18 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including, 19 but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners. 20 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates. 21 (b) Every primary and secondary school shall provide disposable menstrual products at 22 no cost to students. The disposable menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner 23 that does not stigmatize the individual seeking such products, including, but not limited to, in 24 restrooms for menstruating individuals. 25 SECTION 3. Chapter 127 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the 26 following section:- 27 Section 170. (a) As used in this section, the following words shall have the following 28 meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise: 29 “Administrator”, the keeper of a lock-up facility under chapter 40, the superintendent of a 30 correctional facility under chapter 125, a sheriff or special sheriff in charge of a jail, house of 31 correction or regional lock-up facility under chapter 126, the colonel of state police and any other 3 of 3 32 official who oversees a facility used for the detention of persons arrested and held in custody or 33 serving a sentence. 34 “Disposable menstrual products”, products used by a menstruating individual including, 35 but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons and underwear liners. 36 “Menstruating individual”, a person who menstruates. 37 (b) The administrator shall provide disposable menstrual products to menstruating 38 individuals held or housed in the facility overseen by the administrator at no cost. The disposable 39 menstrual products shall be available in a convenient manner that does not stigmatize the 40 individual seeking such products.